There is no question that Israel is one of the best travel destinations in the world. Fondly dubbed as the Holy Land, Israel puts theme parks with mascots in the back seat. It offers thousands of years of history and culture that everyone who visits leaves the country having learned something new. Despite the seemingly endless tumultuous political situation, Israel remains to be the most sacred place the world over. It serves as a home to Christianity, Judaism and Islam, which are three of the world’s biggest religions. All of which unambiguously greatly contributes to the sights, sounds and aromas of Israel.
Israel is known for such travel destinations as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Nazareth, Eilat, Massada, Galilee, Jordan and so on. These places are, without a doubt, flocked by vacation-goers every passing year. Their itineraries often include the very popular and highly recommended Dead Sea, the Carmel Market, the Wailing Wall, the Red Sea and the various religious infrastructures like the Church of Holy Sepulchure, the Church of the Annunciation, the al-Aqsa Mosque and so on. These are Israel’s gems that hundreds of thousands of tourists go through the hustle-and-bustle to see and experience. This article, however, veers away from these popular destinations and introduces a couple of Israel’s hidden treasures: Herzliya and Netanya.
Although not so popular among the vacation-goers, Herzliya and Netanya each offer every visitor remarkable travel experiences that will forever be etched in their memories. Quieter and less popular do not equate to less fun and adventure. Let us take a closer look at these two cities that perhaps can only be found in the Israel hotels travel brochures which usually remain undiscovered in your hotel room.
Located on the central coast of Israel is Herzliya. Herzliya (which is named after Theodor Herzl the founder of modern Zionism) actually consists of two parts – the city itself and the upscale suburb called Herzliya Pituach. Going to the city is very easy. As a matter of fact, Herzliya is just a thirty-minute drive from Tel Aviv with good traffic conditions either by bus or by shared taxi vans called “sherut”. There are so many things to do in both the main city and the suburbs that you can easily and conveniently spend most of your vacation time in the area. There are a lot of cultural attractions in Herzliya. Among the worth mentioning ones are the Herzliya Art Museum, Sidna-Ali Mosque and Apollonia-Arsuf. On the other hand, there are plenty of things to do to release the adrenaline rush. Herzliya beach allows you to engage in various water sports such as Israeli paddle ball called “matkot”, sailing, diving, snorkeling, surfing and so on. The non-athletic ones can go ahead and release their energies by shaking their bodies in Dabush Beach with some salsa and samba. Being the ‘Silicon Valey’ of Israel, Herzliya is crowded with luxury bars and restaurants of all kinds, with rich nightlife. No need to worry about accomodation as there are plenty of beachfront hotels in Herzliya to choose from, offering a spectacular view of the Mediterenian sea .
Netanya is called Mediterranean’s diamond. Like Herzliya, going to Netanya is very easy. As a matter of fact, it is just a ten-minute drive from Tel Aviv. The city lies on the Mediterranean Sea, which means that it has several beaches to accommodate large number of tourists. Squabbling over the perfect spot to sunbathe is not necessary. There is a lot of space in the sand for you. Netanya’s galleries, museums and events centers make sure that cultural offerings are as amazing as that of Herzliya’s. Retail and dining are also phenomenal. The search for a great dining experience is short. Some of the best options are just sitting inside the city’s hotels. This could be one of the reasons why Netanya hotels are always booked! As a bonus to your convenience, several marketplaces are stretched throughout the Mediterranean Sea. This is a good time for you to buy your souvenirs that will remind you of your extraordinary Israel trip whether for yourself or your loved ones.
Perhaps every country has unsung locations that make for great travel experiences. Herzliya and Netanya are just two of them. In fact, these two less popular cities are a great starting point for a relaxing trip in Israel. Herzliya and Netanya are, indeed, Israel’s precious secret jewels. Go see for yourself!
